PGA TOUR: TOUR Pro Chris Kirk Leaving The Game To Work On ‘Himself’

The PGA TOUR has been a place for great redemption stories so far this year, bringing a lot of joy and excitement to the game. But it hasn’t all been bright and sunny for everyone.

It was announced earlier this week that longtime PGA TOUR member Chris Kirk will be taking an indefinite leave from competition to deal with some personal issues. Kirk has been fighting issues of alcoholism and depression recently and does not believe he can compete at his best until he works on himself. The announcement was made in a social media statement.

“I have dealt with alcohol abuse and depression for some time now,” Kirk said. “I thought I could control it, but after multiple relapses I have come to realize that I can’t fix this on my own. I will be taking an indefinite leave from the PGA Tour to deal with these issues. I don’t know when I will be back, but for now I need my full focus on being the man my family deserves. Thank you for your support.”

Tomorrow I will celebrate my 34th birthday but I have already begun a new and better chapter in my life. Thank you to my friends and family for being there for me. pic.twitter.com/XJjFYyojlh

— Chris Kirk (@Chris_Kirk_) May 7, 2019

For Kirk, it’s sad to see him struggle through these issues as a PGA TOUR mainstay. In his career, Kirk has done well, winning four events since going pro in 2007 and was even a top 20 golfer in the World Golf Rankings at one point. It seems that his issues have affected his game, however, as he’s only made six cuts in 17 events that he has participated in this season.

This isn’t the first time that we had heard about players struggling through some of these issues. John Daly’s struggles are well documented with alcohol as well as with Tiger Woods in his rehab. Rocco Mediate also recently came out and opened up about his alcoholism. So while it isn’t uncommon for these issues to manifest, Kirk looks to be making a wise decision.

Chris Kirk plays a shot during a practice round prior to The PLAYERS…

Chris Kirk plays a shot during a practice round prior to The PLAYERS Championship at the TPC Stadium course on March 12, 2019 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

It will be sad to see Kirk go but his own well-being and his own family are more important at this time. Hopefully, Kirk can get passed this and he will be able to return to the PGA TOUR soon.

Cover Image Via Twitter